Empty Nest
by Maji
Summary: Kitt watched the new team grow into what it was...  He never thought it would be so hard to give them up.


I do not own Knight Rider or Team Knight Rider. I'm not making any money off of this... (I wish!) And in no way am I gaining anything but a lot of fun in writing this, blah, blah, blah.

Note: This isn't part of a series. It's meant to be short and sweet and a one shot deal. Might be more of these little ficlettes but for now, this stands alone.

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Empty Nest

It was impressive... Very impressive... Kitt sat parked on an overcropping rock face silently watching as SkyOne twisted its engines around vertical and fired them up. There was a roar that would have challenged any rocket... It was amazing how this powerful plane worked.

It would travel straight up until it reached it's desired height... It had to lift off enough to clear the mountain range... Then it would take off and begin a vertical climb just as any jet would... The occupants on board probably didn't even know they where taking off... That was the amazing part...

"Impressive isn't it?" Kitt didn't even flinch as Devon Miles spoke up, though his voice had certainly startled him.

"Yes it is... It's amazing technologically. A proverbial bird of flight..." Kitt muttered, sounding just a bit awed where the jet was concerned.

"That's not why you're up here." Devon pressed on, casting a glance over to the ageing AI.

"Don't be foolish Devon it doesn't suit you in the least." Kitt scolded, though that only brought a chuckle from the old man. "And why doesn't it? You have every right. You where present during the activation of each other them... For a good year you watched them grow as we searched for their drivers... Then one day you wake up and realize that they don't need you anymore. That they've grown up. I imagine it can't be easy to watch them fly away for the first time... On their first mission..."

Kitt let out a heavy, electronic sigh, his gaze locked on the sky and the massive jet that was slowly disappearing over the horizon. "Beast was a little nervous about getting on the plane... He would never admit it but he was..."

Devon chuckled softly and nodded. "Bonnie helped program him... I imagine so... They'll be alright Kitt. They've grown up."

"They grow up to damn fast for my tastes." Kitt muttered, drawing a heart felt laugh from Devon.

"Yes Kitt... It always seems that way. Just think of how Bonnie and I felt when you where first leaving the garage, never mind when you went out on your first mission with Michael."

Kitt paused for a moment, seeming to be attempting to think back to that time. "It seems like a lifetime ago..." Kitt mused and let out another electronic sigh. "So now what?"

Devon gave a slight shrug, finally turning away from the ledge as the plane entirely disappeared into the clouds. "Now we go back to the garage... No sense in staring at the sky all night."

Kitt had to agree with that. He popped his driver's side door and let Devon in, before starting the drive back down to the garage. SkyOne and it's occupants had been put together in an old military base. The lush trees of Knight Manor had been traded in for a stark, dessert environment. To the east the landscape broke into a rocky mountain range and to the west the dessert just seemed to go on forever...

It was only a five minute drive to get back down to the garage... But it still left Kitt to wonder how the ageing human in his driver's seat had made the hike up to where Kitt had decided to perch to watch the takeoff.

The massive doors opened with only a silent command from Kitt and he was once more in the comfortable environment that was the garage. It was quiet... It struck Kitt as odd... For almost a year this had been their primary base of operations as the new vehicles tested their own abilities... For almost a year the garage had been a bustle of activity... Beast was almost always blaring his music so loud the windows shook... Dante had his own ideas of music and when he wasn't complaining very loudly about Beast's, or something else of relative little concern he was playing it... Unfortunately Bach didn't blend well with Acid Rain or whatever the hell Beast's favored bands where... Kat and Plato would have been arguing about something stupid... The only two motorbikes that Knight Industries had ever made so of course they felt a kinship... But Kat's know it all ways and Plato's... Oddness... Didn't exactly blend well... Finally there was Domino. Rather quiet around anyone but her driver... That was going to be a good partnership. Kitt could already feel it.

They had been introduced to their partners about a month ago. Beast had almost instantly challenged Duke. Duke had been quick to take action... A little more roughly than Kitt would have liked, though at his protest, Devon had chalked that up to Kitt's overprotectiveness. Beast frightened the board... That was a well known fact, and they supported Duke's actions. They felt it was good for the truck. Duke had been quick to yell him down, and at the raised voice... Something Beast had never heard in his life, the massive truck had almost instantly backed off, almost to the point of cowering... Beast was young yet. The youngest of the five. While he was very loud and opinionated now, for the longest time he had been the more timid of the vehicles. Something that had almost had Kitt pressing to hold him back just a little while longer. However, in the end Beast had come through, and Kitt was forced to reprimand himself for trying to keep one of them...

Dante and Kyle had started arguing with each other almost instantly... However, after just a moment it turned into an almost friendly banter. Devon had been the one to worry about that pair but Kitt had seen a little something in those two that he and Michael shared. They would be fine.

Domino had come out of her shell when introduced to her partner. The quiet and timid little Mustang had begun talking and latched onto Jenny almost like a sister. Jenny didn't seem to know how to handle the attention. As an ex marine she was use to being one of the guys... However, after a while she seemed to melt into tolerance to the talkative car and accepted her as she would a little sister...

Trek and Plato... Now there was a match made in heaven. They had been paired together for a few seconds and one would have thought they had been together their entire lives. Even after everyone else had turned in for the night Trek could always be found down in the garage talking to Plato, the one person that flat out understood him.

Erica and Kat where an entirely different story. They tolerated each other and that was about it. Kat was very by the rule book... Erica wasn't. Point blank... Erica drove Kat batty and vice versa... Though they tolerated each other well enough. Kitt only hoped that would wear off into a relative friendship...

Only hours before the vehicles had been talkative and excited about their new mission. The humans had been just as excited and quickly preparing. It had been a rush of activity until it was time to load up. The goodbyes had been quick. Each vehicle stopping to bid Kitt a quick farewell. Though Beast had once again tested his commitment in letting them go by huddling close to the ageing sports car and asking if Kitt could come with them. He and Duke still weren't getting along... Duke refused to accept a talking car as anything but a car... Or truck as the case may be... Beast would never admit it, but the continued argument hurt.

Kitt had been tempted... But a look from Devon had pushed him to nudge the truck on his way and promise that he could be reached anytime the truck simply wanted to talk. That had appeased Beast and he had grudgingly boarded the plane.

It didn't exactly appease Kitt though... He silently stared at the empty garage as Devon quietly headed for his office. The place that had come to feel like home... Was now just an empty shell. He was glad they where leaving it soon.

"Kitt?" He jumped a bit as his internal link up kicked in. Though the voice caused him to chuckle despite himself. "Yes Michael?"

"Get ready to go. The board of directors wants us to follow the plane and keep out of sight. They want the team to complete this mission but since it's their first one they want us there for backup."

Kitt would have grinned if he could have. As it was his scanner simply sped up to a maddening rate. "I'm already, ready Michael."

"Thought you would be. I'll see you out front in a few seconds."

Kitt laughed as he sped out of the garage and hurried to the front of the complex. So this was what it felt like... For a parent following their child's school bus to school for the first time...

As Michael got in and he set off he couldn't help but smile to himself. His little hatchlings had taken flight and they would be just fine...

The End


End file.
